The Washington Redskins are loaded across the defensive line. A four-year investment in the draft has produced first-rounders Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, Montez Sweat and most recently rookie Chase Young.
That’s an impressive group, but doesn’t stop there for Washington. They also have 2016 fifth-round pick Matt Ioannidis, who led the team with 8.5 sacks last season. Don’t forget about Ryan Kerrigan, who is two sacks shy of setting the Redskins’ all-time sack record.
First-year defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio is excited for coaching the loaded group. However, he understands balancing playing time for the group will be challenging.
Del Rio was asked about how Kerrigan, specifically, will fit in with the younger guys. He said the task of finding the right rotation “not so comfortable.”
“You’re getting right to the part that is not so comfortable. You’re fired up for having all of these guys, but then they can’t all go on the field at the same time. So that is part of it, like being able to deal with that aspect of it, having guys understand, ‘Hey, you’re not going to play all the time’ or, ‘You’re not the starter.'”
Jack Del Rio / Redskins.com
The Redskins are switching their base defense to 4-3. Del Rio says the switch “isn’t a big deal.” The gap scheme and aggressive approach of the defensive line to get to the quarterback is more important.
Kerrigan and Sweat get the opportunity to play primarily with their hands on the ground. Throw in Young and Del Rio has three premier pass rushers. Then there’s the trio in the interior — Allen, Payne and Ioannidis — plus overlooked Tim Settle Jr.
Del Rio says the defensive line’s rotation will be mapped by competition.
“It’s a performance business. Those that perform play the most,” Del Rio said per JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington.
There’s a great opportunity for Washington to have one of the more dominant defensive lines in the NFL. Given the talent in the room, the competition could bring out the best in everyone. Del Rio believes that group can be a foundation of what he and head coach Ron Rivera are trying to build in Washington.
“We have good players in our front, guys that were well thought of coming out of the draft and they were taken high,” Del Rio said. “We should expect them to be really good players for us and be a really solid foundation for us to build around, and that’s how we’re going to approach it.”
